Most labor and deliveries go exactly as planned, with mother and baby both healthy and happy. However, there are instances where things go wrong and the child suffers a birth injury. Sometimes these injuries can’t be avoided. Sometimes they occur due to negligence and improper care. Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a condition in some…

We’ve known for a long time that women have a higher risk of dying from heart attacks than men. In fact, heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. However, researchers have been unsure about the causes of this gender gap. A recently released study may shed some light…

Researchers at University College London believe they’ve made a huge leap forward in detecting and treating birth injuries with the development of a new technology called NIRS. NIRS, broadband near-infrared spectroscopy, uses light to detect brain damage in infants. The research team is now planning a formal clinical trial of the device. The NIRS spectroscopic…

A recent report in the American Journal of Transplantation described a rare and “extraordinary” case in Europe, where donated organs from a 53-year-old woman spread breast cancer to four different transplant recipients. According to the report, four recipients developed cancer years after their transplants, and three of the four eventually died. The donor died from…

Two recently released studies show that a new treatment for spinal injuries has helped three patients with paralysis defy the odds and walk again. This surgically implanted device sends electrical impulses to the spine, mimicking the signals the brain would send before paralysis. These studies were published in two separate scientific journals in September –…

A 16-year-old Georgia high school football player died on September 30, two days after collapsing on the sidelines during a game at Pike County High School in Zebulon. Although there were no immediate signs or cause of his collapse, a recently released coroner’s report shows that the teen died of cardiac arrest as a result…

Also called an epidural abscess, a spinal cord abscess is a potentially fatal infection located on or against the spinal cord. These infections, although rare, can be easily missed by some physicians, leading to catastrophic and lifelong effects on the patient. What is a spinal cord abscess? A spinal cord abscess (SCA) occurs when the…

The news is full of tragic stories about tractor-trailer accidents with smaller cars. Rear-end collisions, especially, are often fatal for the drivers and passengers of these vehicles – even though they’re among the most preventable with the right technology. Yet, as driver technologies improve, accident rates continue to increase. Why? The Kansas City Star reports…

We’re all familiar with baby and infant walkers – those wheeled contraptions that let babies roll around using their legs before they’re able to walk. If you’re reading this, you probably used one yourself when you were little, or maybe one of your kids did. However, the authors of a recent study urge anyone that…

The new school year is in full swing and so is sports season. As every new season kicks off new concerns arise about kids and concussions. There is still so little known about how concussions can affect the brain long term, but we are learning more every day. And, to that end, the Centers for…